“These programs are crucial to our efforts to reduce greenhouse emissions and make our skies and roads more environmentally-friendly,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “The U.S. Department of Transportation is committed to working with airports and communities across the nation to improve air quality and protect the health of future generations of Americans.”

VALE is designed to reduce all sources of airport ground emissions in areas that do not meet air quality standards. The FAA established the program in 2005 to help airport sponsors meet their air quality responsibilities under the Clean Air Act. Through these programs, airport sponsors can use Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funds and Passenger Facility Charges (PFCs) to help acquire refueling and recharging stations, electrified gates, low-emission vehicles, and other airport-related air quality improvements.

The ZEV program, created through the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, allows airport sponsors to use AIP funds to purchase vehicles that produce zero exhaust emissions. AIP funds can cover up to 50 percent of these total project costs. Airport sponsors also can use federal funds to pay for any needed infrastructure construction or modification needed to facilitate the delivery of the fuel and services for these vehicles.

“The FAA continues to award grants for projects with short-term and long-term emissions reductions benefits on or near airports,” said FAA Administrator Michael P. Huerta. “These airports must be responsible environmental stewards and good neighbors to their surrounding communities.”

The $23.4 million in VALE grants include:

Chicago O’Hare International, $2 million– to purchase and install 15 ground power units (GPUs) and pre-conditioned air (PCA) units, which will allow aircraft arriving at overnight parking positions to shut off their auxiliary power units and connect to a clean central heating and cooling system. The project will save fuel and reduce aircraft emissions on the ground.

Memphis International, $1.3 million – to purchase and install three GPUs and PCA units.

William P. Hobby, Houston, TX, $1.6 million – to purchase and install five PCAs and GPUs for passenger gates.

Cleveland Hopkins International, $1.1 million – to install four GPUs and PCAs for passenger gates.

The $955,088 in ZEV grants include:

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, $926,789 – to purchase one electric shuttle bus for passenger service from terminal to terminal and fund infrastructure needed to charge the vehicle, including one wireless inductive charging pad and one long-term charging area.

Through VALE, airports are reducing ozone emissions by approximately 801 tons per year, which is equivalent to removing more than 44,735 cars and trucks from the road annually. In fiscal year 2014, the FAA issued $16.6 million in VALE grants for nine projects at nine airports. Since 2005, the FAA has funded 87 VALE projects at 44 airports, which represents a total investment of $215 million in clean airport technology. That amount includes $173 million in federal grants and $42 million in local airport matching funds.

The Airport Improvement Program (AIP) provides more than $3 billion in annual funding for projects that are vital to maintaining the safety, security, capacity, efficiency, and environmental stewardship of the nation’s airports. More than 3,300 airports are eligible for AIP grants benefiting commercial passengers, cargo operations, and general aviation activities throughout the nation.

The VALE program supports the objectives of the President’s Climate Action Plan. The Plan builds on efforts to address climate change and support clean energy innovation. The Plan also includes historic investments in advanced vehicle and fuel technologies, public transit, and rail under the Recovery Act. The investments also include ambitious new fuel economy standards put into place for cars and trucks, which the Administration has worked to develop since 2009 in collaboration with industry.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (Sept. 4, 2015) – The Military Aviation Museum’s Biplanes and Triplanes World War One Air Show kicks off Saturday, Oct. 3-4, in Pungo, Va., taking guests back to the 1920s for a weekend of flying, colorful World War One aircraft, live performances, elaborate reenactor encampments, a hangar-side movie showing, and more.

“Biplanes and Triplanes is all about immersing yourself in the 1920s. Folks come for the experience—watching the beautifully painted World War One airplanes dance through the sky, the entertainers, the history of it all. Whether you are an aviation buff or just someone looking for a great day out with the family, it’s a day you’ll remember,” said Mike Potter, Director of the Military Aviation Museum.

Beginning 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, guests are invited to wander through reenactor encampments, check out the on-site flea market exhibiting military and aviation memorabilia, and enjoy afternoon flights featuring the Military Aviation Museum’s World War One aircraft. 1920s-themed entertainers will take to the Museum’s stage throughout the weekend, to include The Manhattan Dolls, Theresa Eaman and other notable performers, such as the famous Charlie Chaplin. While at the show, delicious cuisine will be provided by local food vendors.

Visitors will also have the unique opportunity to witness part of the Mid-Atlantic WWI Dawn Patrol, a world-class display of remote-controlled flight in the spirit of WWI-era aviation, featuring pilots from around the world. To finish off Saturday’s festivities, the Museum will host a chicken/steak dinner, available for purchase online or at the gate, and a hangar-side showing of the movie Fly Boys. Activities end at 9 p.m. on Saturday, October 3, and 5 p.m. on Sunday, October 4.

For those that want to not only watch, but take to the skies themselves, the Military Aviation Museum will offer airplane rides over the incredible Virginia Beach landscape in two of their open-cockpit planes. Both their 1941 Boeing Stearman, which accommodates one passenger, and their Waco YMF-5, which fits two, will be available for booking. To schedule your flight, visit http://www.militaryaviationmuseum.org/RideWithUs.html

Tickets are available online at an early-bird rate through September 28—$20 for an adult single-day admission or $40 for an adult weekend admission. Youth admission tickets at the early-bird rate are available for $10 for a single day admission and $15 for the weekend. After September 28, tickets will be sold online and at the door at regular rates. To purchase tickets, visit http://www.militaryaviationmuseum.org/ww1-airshow_2015%20tickets.html

For more information about the Biplanes & Triplanes Air Show, call the Military Aviation Museum at 757- 721-7767 or go online to www.VBairshow.com.

About the Mid-Atlantic WWI Dawn Patrol:

September 30, through October 4, 2015, is the fourth annual Mid-Atlantic WWI Dawn Patrol at the Military Aviation Museum—a world-class display of remote-controlled flight in the spirit of WWI-era aviation. Pilots from around the world will converge at the museum to demonstrate their talents both as pilots and as model builders. One of the fastest growing festivals for remote-control aviation, the Dawn Patrol will showcase models of up to 65-percent scale, all built to exacting standards, illustrating some of the more colorful specimens of the earliest warbirds. The event is produced in partnership with Tidewater R/C (Charter #641), the local chapter of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA). Flights will take place from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. all week and will be included in the Biplanes & Triplanes Air Show over the weekend.

About the Military Aviation Museum:

A 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organization, the Military Aviation Museum is home to one of the world’s largest collections of airworthy military aircraft from the first 50-years of flight. Truly a living museum, its aircraft are in restoration at facilities around the world. Besides the main Museum the Virginia Beach complex features additional exhibition spaces, including a mid-1930s Luftwaffe hangar, originally from Cottbus, Germany, which now serves to house the Museum’s collection of WWII-vintage German aircraft. Additional structures include the WWI Hangar, in which reside the Museum’s genuine 1918 Curtiss JN-4D Jenny and other aircraft of the period. Visitwww.militaryaviationmuseum.org for more information or call 757-721-7767.